Deflecting separator air scoop for ventilating closed vehicles



Juiy 19, 1949.. cfo. GUERNSEY 2,476,368

DEFLEC'IING SEFARATOR AIR SCOOP FOR VENTILATING CLOSED VEHICLES 7 Filed Aug. 3-, 1946 5Sh99tS-Sh66t 1 INVENTOR C. O. GUERNSEY BY ouQ/rnbn. goujlwnim.

ATTO R N EYS Ju 19,194s., c. o. GUERNSEY 2,476,368

DEFLECTING S. RATOR AIR 50 FOR VENTILAT' CLOSED VEHIC A S v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1946 INVENTOR 0.0. GUERNSEY BY ATTO RNEYS July 19, 1949. c. o. GUERNSEY 2,476,363

-DEFLECTING SEPARATOR AIR SCOOP FOR VENTILATING CLOSED VEHICLES Filed Aug. 3, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i no 5 2 N 9 I 9 T F r E v v (O INVENTOR C. O. GUERNSEY r 2 BY v ATTORNEYS c. o. GUERNSEY DEFLECTING SEPARATOR AIP. SCOOP FOR July 19, 1949 VENTILATING CLOSED VEHICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1946 v INVENTOR 0.0. GUERNSEY ATTO RNEYS July 19, 1949. c. o. GUERNSEY 2,476,368

DEFLECTING SEPARATOR AIR SCOOP FOR 7 VENTILATING CLOSED VEHICLES Filed Aug. 5; 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGJI 1 INVENTOR (1.9. GUERNSEY ATT'oRusi'rls Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEFLECTING SEPARATOR AIR scoor FOR VENTILATING CLOSED VEHICLES Charles Guernsey, Indianapolis; Ind., assignor to T Marmon-Herrington Company, Incorpo-' rated, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana- Application August 3, 1946, Serial No. 688,362

7 Claims.

' Another object is to provide a ventilating sys-' tem for a vehicle such as a trolley coach wherein the fresh air supply is automatically cleaned of moisture and dust particles during the passage into the interior of the vehicle.

It is still another object to provide a ventilating system for a closed vehicle having a traction motor in which there is a ventilating fan driven by the traction motor for circulating at least part of the air passing throughth'e vehicle.

Still another object is to provide a ventilating" system for a closed vehicle such as a trolley coach. or bus in which there is a uniform distribution of fresh air throughout the vehicle.

It is also an object to provide an improved heating system for a trolley coach which, in cold weather employs the starting or accelerating and braking resistors of the traction motor for heating the air.

A still further object is to provide automatic control means in connection with a ventilating system for a trolley coach or bus havinga circulating fan and which is operable to selectively exhaust the said fan to the atmosphere in order to maintain the proper vehicle temperature.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a ventilating and heating system for a trolley coach wherein the air is partially heated by the resistors associated with the traction motor and partly heated by auxiliary resistors, and in which there is an automatic mechanism for controlling the auxiliary resistors. I

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical trolley coach construction adapted for being heated and ventilated according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a partial vertical longitudinal section through the coach showing a portion of the air circulating system;

Figure 3 is a perspective view partly in section 2 including the circulating fan, the heating resistors, and the damper which controls the amount of recirculated air;

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section taken at the rear end of the vehicle and shows the vehicle traction motor and the connections thereto by means of which air is exhausted from the interior of the vehicle;

Figure 5 is a transversesection indicated by the line 5-5 on Figure 4 and shows the blower associated with the traction motor and which withshowing more in detail the circulating system draws air from the vehicle;

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 65 of Figure 4 and shows the discharge end of the duct by means of which the traction motor cooling air passage communicates with the interior of the vehicle;

Figure 7 is a plan view indicated by the line 'l'! on Figure 4 and showing the duct connections betwen the' interior of the vehicle and the traction motor inlet;

1 Figure 8 is a transverse section indicated by the'line 8--8 on Figure 2 showing details of construction in connection with the air scoop;

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 and shows'other details of construction in connection with the air scoop;

V Figure 10 is an enlarged section showing in more detail the construction of the air scoop and the bafiies therein and the path of the air traveling therethrough; and

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical controls in connection with the resistance heaters and also the controls in connection with the bypassing damper.

Structural arrangement Referring to the drawings more particularly, l0 indicates a vehicle of atype adapted for being equipped with an air circulating and conditioning system of the present invention. Although the vehicle shown is an electric trolley coach it will be understood that this invention is adaptable for other types of vehicles having other motive powers.

' The vehicle has mounted on the roof thereof, and substantially in the center, an air scoop generally indicated at I2; which is seen in section in Figures 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10. The scoop comprises the screened inlet openings l4 which open into the interior of the scoop structure and a discharge opening !6 which communicates through an aperture H3 in the vehicle roof with a pair of longitudinally extending ducts 20 which are carried along the ceiling of the vehicle at either 3 side, and which open into the interior of the vehicle as, for example, through the louvres at 22 and 24.

The air in passing through the air scoop is deflected from a straight path and caused to swirl by apair oft-scroll shaped: plates Hand 28. which extend from side wall to side wall of the scoop assembly and which define a tortuous path between the scoop inlet l4 and the scoop outlet I6. The scroll plate 26 adjacent the inlet open ing it is formed to define a flow pathfor the air of reduced area as at 3.0,, by virtue of which the air which enters the scoop-is accelerated as it approaches the mouth of.the..;aforementioned,,

tortuous path. Thereafter, the accelerated air is deflected by the scroll plate 28in order to pass through the path 32 between the plates and to the inlet opening l6.

As the air is deflected; the moisture and dust particles entrained-therein, which also have been accelerated during the passage of the air through, the reduced area section.3ll,.arethrown outwardly in the air stream and become, concentrated along the inner surface of the scroll plate 28. For collecting theseparticles, the. scroll plate. 28 is provided withaplnralityef skimming blades 34, 36 and 38. Furthermore, the end of the scroll plate. 26,h asaskimxning edge40 and there is a still further skimming edge-at 42 at the edge of the; scroll plate 26... Theskimming blades 34, 36, 40 and 42 all open through: portsin the end Walls Qf-the, scoopv housing, as. indicated at 44, 46, 48 and 50, respectively, in Figure 9. The other skimming. blade 38:.is located. in such a manner that. the.discharge.porttherefor must be positioned at 52 so that the particles collectedthereby can fiow down the scroll. pl te- 28. to thelowermost point thereof.

The coll. e.ct.ed fore n, atten; principally water,

is forced through the aforementioned openings. 44 through 52, inclusive, bythe, air pressure which stands withinv the scoophousing. This expelled foreign matteris.v conducted to. the atmosphere. hrough the opening. or series. of openings 54, in the. supporting. base, plate.;for. the scoop. Theopenings 54 fall within thefairing sheet 56 which issecuredto the scoopmsupporting base and .to the sheet. 58. which forms an. enclosure for the. scoop- The air which passes into-the interior of. the vehicle from, the ceilingducts 20. through the openings 22 and. 2 4'.is. atleast partially collected by the floor duct 6.0." which has the louvres 62 opening into the vehicle interior, The duct 60. extends longitudinally of the vehicle, terminating, as will become. apparent subsequently, at the for-ward side ofthe, center... door. The duct 60 opens-into an, enclosure or cabinet 64 within which there is, mounted a..ce.ntrifugal fan. 66 having .a. drive motor 6.8..

The. inlet, of the fan 66 opens directly into. the. enclosure 64 to, withdrawair: therefrom and the. discharge. thereofopens. into an, enclosure 10. as. at T2.

Th enclosure. or, channel. 1.0,. extends transversely acr-oss the vehicle andiopens through an. aperture 14' into a short verticalj passagelfiwhich, in turn, opens into, the. floor duct 18.. extending. longitudinallyalong the vehicleatthe side oppo-. sitethe duct 60: The duct18" includes the openings or louvres 80 by means, of which the air supplied-to the ductis returnedto the interior.

7 Within the channel there is the resistor. ban-k 82-; whichformspat least a portion of the starting; running, and-"braking resistors which stat 86 which may be suitably located within the vehicle as,- for example, on the side wall. When necessary,- the resistor bank 84 is energized to s pply additional heat to the air stream.

The end of-the channel 10 is normally closed bya.darnperplaterw which is hinged at 90 and which is movable into position to close the aperture 14 while opening the aperture 92. When the damper is so moved, the air discharged by the blower 6.6 ;passes directly to the atmosphere. The damper 89 is preferablyrautomatically controlled and. such control is, exemplified bythe thermostat Bliwhich maybea. portion of onseparate from the resistor controlling thermostat 8B. 7

Additional air circulation through the vehicle. isprovided by withdrawing air from the interior thereof by-the vehicle. traction motor. Thisportionof the, aircirculating systemis best seen in Figures. 4 5, 6..-and. 7'... In .Figure 4- the. traction motoroithe Vehicleis. indicated atJIIU. and it may be connected with the vehicle drive wheels. bya shaft. [02. through. suitable gear reduction units. ifdesired. The motor. I00 is adapted for being. cooled, by 'a. current of, air passing there. through and tothisend, there. is mounted on the motor a fan unit. consistingof. a housing I04.

' and! an, impeller 1.6... When the motor is rotated,

the. impeller [06 draws air leftwardly,.as viewed in Figure. through the motor housing and ex-. hausts. to, the atmosphere.

ReferringtocFigures.Land 6, it will be noted; that the end of the housing of the motor I00- opposite. the. fan, unit has. thereinthe apertures lillgrwhich openinto asduct U0 which communicates through the screen. I IZ-witha chamber H4. behindthe rear. seat Hit. ofthe vehicle. Forv preventing leakage,.between,.the,duct I I0. and the motor housing, theremay-beprovided the resilient gasket. means. at l' l 8. which is. compressed when the said. motor, and duct arev secured together.

The chamber H4" behind the seat H6 extends under the. said seat. and transverselyinto communication. with a. pair of floor ducts I'Zll having the. louvre. openings I22. Aswillbe. seen in Figures-iand'l, thefloorducts I20v terminate atth e rear wheel. housing, Thechamber H4 also ml niQa.QeS,.witlr theinterior of: the vehicle,

through. thelouvresl'zlldn .the. panel I26 at the front. seoftheseat.l.l,6;..-

While the blower GB'jand the. f an I unit on-- the tract on...motor. may a y. consid rably. in siz forvv the ordinary trolley coach. it has. been found h ta capacity .ofi.1',,000 cubic, feetper minute. is ample for the circul'ating,,blo.w er 66., while the. blower on. the tractipmmotor ,willvary between zero di'schargewhen the. vehicle is stationary .to. about;l.,8 0Q cubic feet perminutewhenthevehir cle is moving at.ma dmumv speed.

It will. e ap a nt thatlthereis always a. continuou i i llatilmoflflllo cubicffeet per minute: it rv hin. or through .the. vehicle while, dependingon thev rate of; speed of. .the vehicle, there s dditiona movement of... upto L8 bicfeet per minute of the air frornihevehicleintee g: o th atmosphere,

Figure 1 l. illustrates;a typical electrical. circuit.

' which may be employed with the construction of 5 the present invention. -In this view the power lines are indicated atLI and L2 and probably comprise either 550 r 600 volt direct current supply lines. Connected between the lines LI and L2 and in circuit with the drive motor I00 is the resistor bank 82. This resistor bank is shown as being tapped in a plurality of places and with the taps connected to the terminals of a sweep switch I28, It will be understood that the circuitillustrated is only exemplary in that theresis'tors" could beconnect'ed in circuit with the motorin' several'other manners in order to provide for'speed control thereof,'braking, accelerating, etc. intheusual manner.

Also connected between the lines LI and L2 is the heating resistor bank 84, in series with which is a switch I30 which is controlled by an instrumentality at I32 which is connected to be actuated by the thermostat 86. The thermostat 86 may be adjusted to either maintain the switch I30 normally open or normally closed according to the individual preference and forms no part of the'present inventionexcept insofar as the function'thereof is employed for connecting and disconnectingthe resistors 84 from the power supply lines.

Figure llalso illustrates one manner of controlling the damper 89 which is' pivoted at 90. This damper construction may consist of the damper plate proper at .89 which is carried on the stud I34 between the springs I36. The stud I34 is mounted on the end of an arm I38 which is connected to be driven by a motor I40. The springs I 36 permit the damper plate to accommodate itself to theflanges surrounding the apertures 52 and 74 in order to effect a good seal thereof to prevent leakage of air. The motor Mills connectedlwith an electric power supply through switch I42 which is connected to be controlled by the thermostat 88.-

As in the'case of the thermostat 86 and the mechanism at 132, the'thermostat 88 and the switch {42 form in themselves no part of the present invention but are of importance as regards their. function.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved ventilating and air heating system for enclosed vehicles and a system which is particularly welladapted for use in con- .nection with electrically driven coaches such as trolley coaches.

By means of the present invention a continuous and clean supply of fresh air is provided. The stale air is continuously exhausted, and a certain portion of the air within the vehicle is either recirculated and has the temperature thereof closely controlled or is exhausted, and is utilized during the said exhausting for cooling the operating resistors associated with the traction motor.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adopt it to different usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An air scoop adapted for mounting on the roof of a vehicle, comprising a casing having a front end provided with an inlet opening, a top, a base having a discharge opening, a pair of spaced curved plate means in said casing defining a scroll, one of said plate means extending slantingly upwardly over said discharge opening from a point rearwardly of said inlet opening and toward said top to define with said top a graduallyrestricted passageway extending rear,- wardly' of said opening, said plate means having a downwardly curved rear end, said other'plate means being in the shape of a partial circle in cross-section with its upper end attached adjacent to said top and its lower end extendingupwardly towards but spaced frOm'the under side of'said first-named plate meanssaid upwardly extending lower end forming a battle and being located rearwardly of said discharge opening, and means in ally restricted passageway extending rearwardly ofsaid opening, said plate means having a downwardly curved rear end; said other plate means being in the shape of a partial circle in cross-section with its upper end attached adjacent to said top and its lower end extending upwardly towards but spaced from the under side 'of said first-named plate means, said upwardly extending lower end forming a baflle and being located rearwardly of said discharge opening,

and means on at least one of said plate means for collecting dust particles.

3. An air scoop adapted for mounting on the roof of a vehicle, comprising a casing having a front end' provided with an inlet opening, a top,

a base having a discharge opening, a pair' of spaced curvedplate means in said casing defining a scroll, one of said plate means extending slantingly, upwardly over said discharge opening from: a point rearwardly of said inlet opening and toward said top todefine with said top a "gradually restricted passageway extending rearwardly of said opening, said plate means having a downwardly curved rear end, said other plate means being in the shape of a partial circle in cross-section with its upper end attached adjacent to said top and its lower end extending upwardly towards but spaced from the under side of said first-named plate means, said upwardly extending lower end forming a baflle and being located rearwardly of said discharge opening, and means on at least one of said plate means for collecting dust particles, sail last-named means comprising skimming blades.

4. An air scoop adapted for mounting on the roof of a vehicle, comprising a casing having a front end provided with an inlet opening, a top, a base having a discharge opening, a pair of spaced curved plate means in said casing defining a scroll, one of said plate means extending slantingly upwardly over said discharge opening from a point rearwardly of said inlet opening and toward said top to define with said top a gradually restricted passageway extending rearwardly of said opening, said plate means having a downwardly curved rear end, said other plate means being in the shape of a partial circle in crosssection with its upper end attached adjacent to said top and its lower end extending upwardly towards but spaced from the under side of said first-named plate means, said upwardly extending lower end forming a baflie and being located rearwardly of said discharge opening, and means 

